Selecting items from a menu of functions is a basic computer interaction task when a user interface is used by an end user. Most current menu designs assume that the user has a single interactive point for input which means the menu can be traversed in a linear fashion. For example, a user may have a mouse cursor or a stylus which allows the user to select menu items one by one. In general, such menus can be activated by clicking on an item or by dragging and/or crossing the interaction point through the menu item. Dragging or crossing the interaction point through the menu item is often used with a stylus for a marking menu or a crossing menu system.
In a system with many menu options, the menus are often nested and this means opening a menu item may open a new sub-menu. The use of nesting menus forces the user to traverse many menu items before arriving at their final choice. This process is comparatively slow and potentially error-prone.
In recent years, computer interface hardware has been produced that can recognize when a user presents the user's digits to a sensor device. For example, certain hardware can recognize when a user touches multiple points on a computer screen, interface pad, or interface surface. These multi-digit recognition systems that can register multiple digits (e.g., multiple touch points) for the user interface can be called multi-digit interface systems. In such multi-digit interface systems, the menu design has not taken advantage of the multiple-points of interaction to enhance the menu interaction. As a result, the menus used in multi-digit interface systems have generally remained the same as in the single digit or single interaction point interface systems.